Write Off All Ideas from the Outside
What Not To Do When Working in an Urban Center 6. Write off all outside help or ideas. This is the other opposite extreme to the blog post on the fifth posture (“Readily adopt successful ministry ideas from other contexts”) that isn’t helpful when working in an urban context. This attitude assumes that NOTHING will work […]
The Shifting Donut
The dynamic nature of cities pushes us to be continual learners. What was once true about a city ten years ago may not be true today. Neighborhoods change, demographics shift, industries are born or die out. In order to be effective in cities, we need to be students that seek to understand the […]
Cities Matter
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Here’s a short review of the book “Why Cities Matter.”
16 Reasons Why Berlin is the Greatest European City
Many people have a hard time describing Berlin. Yet there are certain things that stand out to those who visit, those who have chosen to live here or those who have an ethereal affinity for this city. Here are 16 reasons why one blogger believes that Berlin is the greatest European city. We happen to […]
What a City Says
Each metropolis has its trademarks. Seattle has coffee and rain. Paris has the Eiffel Tower and baguettes. Los Angeles has Hollywood, endless summer and even more endless traffic jams. While these icons and stereotypes make the aforementioned cities famous, none of them lies at the heart of what drives each urban area. How can we […]
The Illusion of Independence
Interdependence is built into the character of God and reflected in the world around us. Can you think of anything God created that is independent rather than interdependent? From ecosystems, weather, human bodies and molecular structures to a triune God – all function interdependently. Cities also reflect this interdependence with many interrelated, interdependent parts. Each […]
Is Berlin One of the World’s Most Influential Cities?
“In the past century, the greatest global cities were generally the largest and centers of the world’s great empires: London, Paris, New York and Tokyo. Today size is not so important: Of the world’s 10 most populous cities, only Tokyo, New York and Beijing are in the top 10 of our ranking of the world’s […]
Trek7 + Serve the City = Partners for Change
For the second consecutive year, Trek7 partnered with Serve the City. Serve the City is a Christian volunteer movement that started a decade ago in Brussels and has spread to more than 90 cities on three continents. Christine, who coordinates Berlin’s Serve the City efforts, says that STC tries to make it easy for people […]
Four Surprising Facts About Berlin
Movies Berlin has more movie theaters per capita than any other German city with 97 theaters (visited by more than 12 million visitors annually). Volunteers Involvement in civil groups, community organizations and public forums has grown over the years. It is estimated that one in four Berliners take part in volunteer service. Parks Berlin has […]
How Berlin Has Ruined Living Anywhere Else
Many people have fallen head-over-heels walking the streets of Berlin. But where does this love affair with the city start? Putting words to the elusive draw of Berlin can be a challenge. Here is one perspective that reveals a few of the city’s many charming qualities. Read “How Berlin has ruined living anywhere else.”